James Flannel Gets Life for Fatal St. Louis Cab Driver Shooting

James Flannel, 37, of St. Louis, Missouri, is behind bars for life after being sentenced today by United States District Court Judge E. Richard Webber for the fatal carjacking and execution-style murder of Laclede Cab Company driver Boris Iouioukine. The crime, which unfolded on June 25, 2018, in the 2500 block of East Dodier, involved Flannel discharging a firearm during a violent carjacking that left the victim dead in the street.

Flannel, armed with a Taurus Millennium G2 nine-millimeter semi-automatic pistol, called for a taxi under false pretenses. When Iouioukine arrived in his red minivan, Flannel entered the vehicle and opened fire, killing the driver inside his own cab. He then dumped Iouioukine’s body in the middle of the street before fleeing in the stolen vehicle to Castle Point in St. Louis County. The taxi was later found parked in the driveway of a residence in the 10000 block of Duke Drive.

Responding to multiple 911 calls reporting a man down, St. Louis Metropolitan Police and fire crews arrived to find Iouioukine deceased at the scene. The crime quickly unraveled when investigators recovered a shell casing from the driver’s side floorboard and a water bottle inside the taxi. Forensic analysis matched Flannel’s fingerprint to the bottle, leading to his arrest. He was charged via federal complaint on June 27, 2018, and ultimately pleaded guilty on August 2, 2019.

The murder weapon was recovered on August 10, 2018, after a targeted search at Spanish Lake Park. Investigators, using leads from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN), located the loaded nine-millimeter firearm. Ballistic testing confirmed the shell casing from the crime scene was fired from the seized weapon, cementing the forensic link to Flannel.

“This sentence is the product of the excellent, collaborative work of our law enforcement officers. Its severity should send a clear message: should you choose to commit such a senseless, violent crime in this region, you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said United States Attorney Sayler Fleming. “Mr. Iouioukine, a hardworking and valued member of society, left behind family, friends, and co-workers who loved him dearly. We can only hope that the resolution of this matter brings them some comfort and closure.”

Fred Winston, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Kansas City Field Division, emphasized the role of ballistic intelligence in solving the case. “This case demonstrates the importance of using ballistic intelligence to identify those using firearms to commit violent crimes in our community,” Winston said. “The comprehensive use of ATF’s National Integrated Ballistics Information Network (NIBIN) by our state and local law enforcement partners provides the unprecedented ability to link shootings based on forensic evidence alone. ATF will continue to use NIBIN and other crime gun intelligence tools to identify trigger pullers in St. Louis and hold them accountable.”